Dr. Yang's Thoughts

Thyroid Health: The Connections Between the Thyroid and the Body

I’ve recently been approached by many practitioners, patients, and friends about thyroid health, so I felt like I should write my thoughts on thyroid. The thyroid is a gland that is located in the front part of the neck and helps with metabolism, energy, and body temperature. Low thyroid function (aka hypothyroidism) is becoming more prevalent, as more individuals are prescribed thyroid medication, but it is also being overlooked. What I see often in my practice is subclinical hypothyroidism and can be caused by several factors, such as: nutrient deficiencies from poor diet, high stress levels, toxicity, impaired or inadequate liver function, inflammation and oxidative stress, and drug interactions. Symptoms that can occur with low thyroid function are: fatigue, becoming sensitive to the cold, sensation of the throat being swollen, dry and brittle nails, and increase in hair loss. Conditions that can be associated with low thyroid function are: digestive disorders, menstrual irregularities, infertility, chronic illnesses (e.g. chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmune conditions, frequent infections, etc.), depression/anxiety, obesity and/or the inability to lose weight, menopause, and even blood sugar dysregulation. “Subclinical” means before abnormalities are seen in blood work. Thyroid disease caused by an autoimmune component, such as Hashimoto’s, can also present as subclinical hypothyroidism and can be treated early. Unfortunately, treatment often is provided after the fact. Early treatment can prevent onset of thyroid disease and can improve quality of life.

Diet is very important because the thyroid requires key nutrients, such as selenium, iodine, vitamin B12, zinc, vitamin C, and vitamin E. All of these should be provided in our foods, but if the thyroid is working harder than it needs to, more of these nutrients will be needed to maintain normal function. If digestion is poor or inadequate, absorption of nutrients from food can be compromised and this can lead to deficiencies in these key nutrients. Keep in mind, treating the thyroid can be more complex than just providing these key nutrients because the thyroid is connected with other hormones in the body, including sex hormones and stress hormones. This is why it is so important to look at the whole body and mind, not just the thyroid.